Legnano47

Looking for some info in the years that the Legnano Roma Olimpiade came with Simplex Dropouts and the simplex lever type front derailleur. Front derailleur is marked "Simplex Italy". We're thinking it's a 1953 or so due to when it arrived in the states, but were not sure.

Any help appreciated!
-W

splytz1

we need pics, sounds awesome.

iab

I agreee, we need pictures. Get some good shots of the derailleurs.

Grand Bois

I can't wait to see the front derailer marked "Simplex Italy"!

Legnano47

Ok, my bad! Should have had the pictures ready when I posted. I'll try and snap some tonight and post them tomorrow.

Thanks,
-W

BikeManDan

Posts like these without pictures make me cry a little on the inside

splytz1

Legnano47

A little history.
My grandfather raced in Northern Italy back in the 20 and 30's. Raced for the town of Caraglio for the team of Caraglieze Bichlett, (Caraglio Bicycle). He left for the states in his late teens and made his life in the Northern California Bay Area. He raised his family in Redwood City and eventually went home to visit his family. It’s during one of these visits that he goes to his old team shop to visit with old friends. It then that they offer to send him a bike in the US. He declined stating that he was too old to ride and worked too much anyways. But they could send one over for is son, my father.

So around 1953 or ’54 the Legnano pictures showed up. My dad recalls driving up to San Francisco to pick it up at a port or some shipping company. It was crated in a wooden Legnano crate. He recalls that it originally came with the following;
Wood rims for the velo-drome
Aluminum rims for the road (hand made w/sporadic nipple spacing)
Full fenders
Short fenders
Legnano green felt covered water bottles
Leather racing seat
Sew up tires
And F.A. Legnano Hubs (still have)

My brother and I beat up the bike growing up. The paint wore off the top tube, most of the racing items were replaced with touring stuff. It just sort of became a normal 10 speed.

There is more to the story, but eventually I became interested in road bikes and the history of racing and learned that the Hero’s of Italy all rode Leganos at one time or another. I learned the historic value of our bike and decided to have it restored in 1998. I was shipped to CycleArt in Southern California. Unfortunately, the restored it better than it was ever built. But it will now last for ever.

I ride it as often as I can and the woollies always complement me and want a picture.

Enjoy.

Oh yah. What’s up with this Simplex in Italy thing? I removed the cover of the shifter to better photograph it. Is this bike as really old as we think?

All input appreciated.

-W

splytz1

That is a beautiful bike and a wonderful story. It must feel special to ride it knowing it came from a faraway place for a good reason, has been in your family all these generations, and it's so great that it still gets ridden... there's just so much personality to a bike like that. thanks for sharing.

lotek 

Love the bike and the story. I'm sure your Grandfather would be
proud of the bike and it's condition now.
The simplex thing? well Simplex is French and well not a component
one thinks of on a quintessential Italian bike.

Marty

Grand Bois

It looks like it really does say "Simplex made in Italy". That's odd because Simplex was a French company. I wonder what the story is behind that?

Legnano47

Thanks for all the complements. The Simplex Italy mystery still goes on.
Quick story - I visited my Great Aunt in Caraglio this last October. I asked about my grandfather and his racing. She didn't remember much as she was a very young girl at the time, but she recalled his receiving a Silver Cup at one point. I then asked about Coppi & Bartali. She began to cry and spoke of the wonderful days of the racing and their Hero's of Italy.

I have more stories about my grandfathers racing. If you are interested, I'd be more than happy to share. Some are very interesting.

-W

dbakl

There was a Simplex Italy too, not just in France. Don't know anything about the parts though. Velo-Retro probably has a catalog:

https://www.velo-retro.com/

Grand Bois

I did not know that.

lotek 

Well of course we want to hear them. . . as some racer guy said, "its not always about the bike '
(italics mine).

marty

Legnano47

Here's one.

So the story goes........At the time my grandfather raced in Italy his uncle had a motorbike. He told my grandfather that if he was the first into town and the first to hit the bottom of the mountain, he would help him up the mountain. My grandfather inquired as to how he would help. His uncle said that he has some invisible rope, something new called monofilament or what we know today as fishing line. His uncle stated that if he got to the bottom of the mountain first, he'd give him a tow up to the peak and know one would ever know. He said he won that one!?!?!

Another one - My grandfather said that when racing in Northern Italy it was very important for the star rider of each town to enter their town first. He said that the town folks sometimes had tacks in their pockets As soon as their star rider passed, they'd throw the tacks on the street to slow down the rest of the racers. Not very sportsman like, but given the state of cycling in 2008, I don't doubt it could have happened.

OLDYELLR

Here is one I have that I bought off eBay from a seller in Italy. It's supposed to be from the 1950s. These don't have the downtube stop on the upper part of the lever.

iab

Great story and a great bike.

As dbakl wrote, Simplex opened a factory in Italy in the late 40s. Simplex was the Shimano of the day, they dominated the component market, especially the low cost stuff. There was little to offer in Italy and until the Gran Sport came out, Campagnolo was the expensive option so it was wise for Simplex to open a factory there.

Your FD is a Competition and was made from 1949 until the 1970s.

luker

She has no reason to cry. The wonderful days of Italian heroes are still here. They have posted 20 pro wins this spring, compared to a (very good) US posting of three.

But please lemme digress...Am I (looking into my trousers) a "woolie"?

Geez, I can't stand the stuff.